The Industry Council for Tangible Assets and the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation have jointly announced an agreement to transfer the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force and the position of director of anti-counterfeiting from ICTA to the non-profit 501-C-3 foundation.

The transfer became effective Nov. 15.

The volunteer task force and the director of anti-counterfeiting position were created and launched by ICTA in January 2017 following an industrywide summit in August 2016 that decided the numismatic community should harness its resources and commit to fighting the invasion of counterfeit coins threatening the marketplace. The summit was spearheaded by leaders of ICTA, the American Numismatic Association, and the Professional Numismatists Guild.

Beth Deisher joined the ICTA staff as director of anti-counterfeiting and has coordinated the 44-member task force for the past 23 months. She will continue in the position, working under the authority of the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation. She works out of her home office located in Sylvania, OH.

ACTF’s mission is to mobilize law enforcement to protect the integrity of U.S. coinage by educating officials about the growing threat that counterfeit circulating coins, collectible classic coins, and investment bullion coins and precious metals bars pose to the collecting community and the public. The task force also provides education and training for law enforcement, the collecting community, and the general public.

“We believe this is a perfect fit,” said ICTA Executive Director Jimmy Hayes. He noted that the task force and the foundation share the same mission.

Hayes said that ICTA will continue to assist the task force, especially with regard to legislation needed to stop the flow of counterfeit coins and precious metals bars entering the marketplace or changes to provide more effective enforcement of current laws.

Hayes also explained the transfer will allow ICTA to focus on another looming problem, the effects of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding South Dakota vs. Wayfair, which permits states and localities to tax all retail sales (brick-and-mortar and internet) based on the location of the buyer. ICTA will seek a legislative remedy to the costly and burdensome mandate requiring coin dealers to collect and remit taxes to every taxing jurisdiction throughout the nation.

ACEF Acting President Gary Linthicum expressed the ACEF Board’s appreciation for ICTA’s leadership, work, and financial support in launching the task force and guidance during its formative period.

Linthicum said that ICTA is gifting to the foundation the office equipment that it purchased for use by the director of anti-counterfeiting and will provide administrative support during the transition.

“We expect the task force and Beth to continue their work uninterrupted during the transition and we look forward to making major headway in our shared mission of defeating the counterfeiters and making our marketplace safer for all buyers and sellers,” Linthicum said.

The task force and foundation are totally funded by donations. Tax deductible donations to support the work of the task force can be made to the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation at P.O. Box 903, Sylvania, OH 43560. For information about donating contact Beth Deisher at 567-202-1795.